Flash lamp.



No. 646,225. Patented: Mar. 27, |900.

C. KLARY.

FLASH LAMP.

(Application led Oct. 20, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 646,225. Patented Mar. 27, |900.

' C. KLARY.

FLASH LAMP.

(Application led Oct. 26, 189B.) (No Model.) B'Sheets--Sheet 2.

No. 646,225. Patented Mar. 27, |900. c. LA RY. FLASH 'LAMP'.(Application led Oct. 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

:Mimik www 1HE NORRIS PETERS C0Y PHOYULIIHD, WASHIN DN www vNrrnnSinfrnsi CHARLES KLARY, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

FLASH LAM P;

SPECIFICATION forming peut of Letters Patent ivo. 646,225, dated March2?, 1906-.

Application filed October 26, 1898. Serial No. 694,619. (No model.)

To LZZ whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that I, CHARLEs KLARY, manufacturer of photographicapparatus, of 13 Rue Taitbout, Paris, in the Republic of France, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash-Light Apparatusfor the Use of Artificial Lights in Photography, of which the followingis a specification.

The apparatus which forms the subjectmatter of my invention isessentially characterized by the combined devices for producing theinstantaneous deflagration of the lighting or flash powder and thesubsequent operation of a smoke-retaining device whereby a very vividlight may be obtained at exactly the proper moment without beinginterfered with by the very strong emission of gas and smoke produced bythe combustion of the lightingpowder. Therefore my apparatus is mostsuitable for taking photographic views by the use of artificial light inhouses, public-meeting rooms, and the like.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown, by way of example, one formof my flash-light apparatus.

Figure l is a front elevation of the apparatus set and ready to work,the support of the apparatus not being shown for want of room. Fig. 2 isa corresponding side view. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Figs. 4. and 5are respectively and on a larger scale a cross-section and a frontelevation of the mechanism for operating the deagrating device. Figs. 6,7, and 8 are respectively and on the same larger scale a side elevation,a front elevation, and a plan view of the device for operating thesmoke-retaining device.

My apparatus comprises a support a b, of variable length, composed of asmall table a, horizontal or substantially horizontal,'and of averticalframe b, the open parts of which are covered by a fabric b. The ends ofthe said support are closed by cheeks c, on which are Xed the pivots d dof the rods es, supporting the smoke-retaining blind or cloth e.

To the front of the small table u, is connected a frame a', formed ofsmall longitudinal and transversalv bars, on which is fixed andstretched a fabric or cloth d2, which fills up the intervals between thesaid bars. The frame ct' is pivoted to the small table a, and is thuscapable of moving upward, as shown of flat springs g, fixed at equal orunequal distances by screws g and provided with blocks g2 to strike andexplode the caps placed underneath in the trough f and ignite theflash-powder. v

Above and in line with the caps and the flat springs g are hammers 7i,(shown in detail in Figs. 1, 4., and 5 in the set position,) and thedescent of which on the said springs and blocks determines the ignitionof the dashpowder. The rods of the said hammers are fixed in the properplace inregard to the springs and blocks by means of a sleeve on ahorizontal common shaftj, one end of which is subjected to the action ofa spiral spring j', the pressure of which is exerted in the samedirection as the fall of the said hammers. The shaft j carries at itsmiddle part an arm j?, the release of which causes the simultaneous fallof the hammers, as hereinafter described.

The curtain or hood e, which has a top and sides, as shown in Fig. 2,and constitutes the smoke-retaining device and which is composed of anysuitable kind of fabric, is collapsible in the manner of a pair ofbellows or rather a carriage cover or hood, the framework of the samemoving around the pivots d cl, the same being shown in its collapsedposition in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The said hood is fast at one end (theupper end, as shown) and is constructed to fold into plaits after thefashion of a bellows or a carriage-top. When moved down, the smokeretaining` device comes against the pivoted part d of the small table a,and thus forms, with the parts a and a, the wall b and the cheeks c c, aclosed receptacle in which the devices generating the artificial lightare completely inclosed.' The curtain or hood e is fixed at its edge eto the .sides of the frame h, and it is supported by a certain number ofhorizontal rods e2, mounted on radial rods e3, pivoted at d cl. Theouter rods e3 e3 at the forward edge c4 of the hood are subjected to theaction of a spiral spring e5, wound around each of the pivots CZ d andoperating to move the hood down. The said hood is held in its upper orfolded position by the engagement of a rod 7c', ending in a hook 7s',with a small catch k2 on the frame b.

The catch mechanism is composed of two parts, the one relating to theigniting device comprising a horizontal shaft m, mounted in and passingthrough thewall or frame Z9 and carrying three arms fm', 'm2, and m3,situated either inside or outside of the wall b. (See Fig. 2.) The armm', operated by means of the string m4 and held upward by a spiralspring m5, is capable of oscillat-ing between two stop-pins m6 m6. As tothe arm m2, it serves as a catch for the arm l7'2 of the hammer-shaftjand holds the same in its set position. The third arm m3 serves as acatch for the second part of the mechanism, which second part comprisesa shaft n, mounted in the middle member of the frame b and carrying twovarms n' and n2; a chain n3, attached to the outer arm n', and aweightm4, attached to the chain; a second shaft p, provided with an arm p',supporting the weight n4 and resting on the arm m3. Both the shafts nand 19 are mounted in the middle member of the frame b. The arm n2 ofthe first-named shaft oscillates on the inside of the catch 71:2 and isshown in the drawings as being placed at rest on the top of the hook 7.oof the rod 7c.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When the mechanism is setand ready to operate, the hammers 7L are raised and held by theengagement of the arm 7'2 of their supporting-shaft j with the arm m2.The hood or curtain c is also held in its raised position by theengagement of the hook k' in the catch 7a2. lVhen the string m4 ispulled so as to lower the arm m, the shaft m is caused to oscillate, andthe arm m2, rising, sets free the arm jg. Under the action of the springj' the hammers fall suddenly and strike the springs g and cause theinstantaneous ignition of the Hash-powder placed in the trough f. At thesame time and on account of the oscillation of the shaft m the arm m3sets free the arm p and the weight n4, which fall. The length of thechain as is so determined that the weight n4 only beginsto act afterhaving fallen some distance, which can be eas-ily predetermined. Thenthe said weight has completely eX- tended the chain, the arm n andconsequently the arm n2 descend, and the hook t/ is set free from thecatch k2. The curtain or hood e is freed and instantaneously falls underthe influence of the springs e5, so that the smoke and gases produced bythe ignition of the powder are trapped and cannot in any way interferewith the operator.

By varying the length of the chain n3 the interval of time which passesbetween the production of the flash-light and the fall of the curtain orhood can be predetermined, whereby instantaneous Views or portraits ofany degree of rapidity may be obtained.

After the operation the apparatus is taken outside and the smoke is setfree in the open air, so that several successive views can be taken inthe same room.

I desire it to be understood that modifications, as long as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims, constitute no departure fromthe nature of my invention.

l. In a flash-light apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for theflash-powder, of a hood whose upper end is secured to a stationary partabove the receptacle at the rear end of the hood, while the lower end ofthe hood is pivoted so as to allow the hood to swing forward anddownward when released the hood being constructed to fold into plaits,means for holding the lower end of the hood in a raised or set position,and means for releasing said lower end to allow the hood to drop into anoperative position.

2. A Hash-light apparatus, comprising a trough adapted to contain thehash-powder,

I a series of hat springs provided with percussion-blocks above the saidtrough, a series of hammers mounted on a common shaft to strikesimultaneously the said corresponding springs and determine the ignitionof the powder, in combination with a collapsible hood and catch devicesfor the ignitin g mechanism, substantially as described.

3. A flash-light apparatus comprising a support, an igniting device, acollapsible hood with a pivoted folding framework,- an oscillating shaftcarrying three arms, one of which is operated from the outside by astring, the second of which serves as a stop-catch for the ignitingdevice, and a catch device connected with the third arm, in combinationwith spiral springs wound around the pivots of the folding framework ofthe said hood, and having a tendency to throw the hood down, a rodhaving a part or hook for holding the hood in its raised position, ashaft provided with two arms one of which engages thesaid hook and theother of which serves to suspend a chain having a weight adjustablethereon, the fall of the said weight being determined by the catchdevice of the igniting mechanism, and causing the hood to operate aftera lapse of time which can be regulated at will according to the natureof the flash-powder and the time necessary for taking the View, byattaching the weight at different points of the chain,- substantially ashereinbefore specified.

4t. In a Hash-light apparatus, in combination, a series of springs ghaving percussionblocks g2 arranged on a supporting-table a., directlyabove a trough f containing the iashpowder with igniting-caps, hammers7L for eX- ploding the caps, said hammers being mounted on a commonshaftj, journaled in bearings on the table a, and able to rotate undertheinfluence of two spiral springsj, woundaronnd the ends of the saidshaft; a catch device for holding the striking-hammers in the setposition and comprising the arm jg of the said shaft j, and a shaft mhaving arms m', mima,

IOO

the string m4, and the opposing spring m5, a framework having pivotedarms e3, spiral springs e5 on the pivots of said arms, and a hood econstructed to fold after the fashion of an accordion and connected withsaid pivoted arms, a catch device for the curtain or` hood e comprisingthe shaft n, having the arms n', n2, the arm n being provided with thechain n3 having a Weight n4, which rests on a lever p, which engages thearm m3 of the said catch device of the said striking-hammers, and thearm n2 of the said shaft engaging a rod k, whereby the hood e is heldfolded, substantially as described.

5. In a Hash-light apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for theflash-powder, of a folding hood one end of which is secured to astationary part, pivoted arms connected with the other end of the hood,the hood being arranged to cover said receptacle and to retain thesmoke, means for holding the hood in aset position, and means forthrowing the hood into an operative position.

6. In a flash-light apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for theflash-powder, and mechanism for igniting said powder, of a folding hoodarranged to cover said receptacle and to retain the smoke, said hoodhaving one of its ends secured to a stationary part, pivoted arms withwhich is connected the other end of the hood, means for holding the hoodin a set position, and mechanism for successively operating the ignitingmechanism and the hood.

7. In a flash-light apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for theflash-powder, mechanism for igniting said powder, a movable hood forcovering said receptacle and retaining' the smoke, means for throwingthe hood into an operative position mechanism for normally holding thehood in an inactive position, alocking device for normallyholding theignitin g mechanism in a set position, aweight arranged to act upon saidlocking device and thus release the hood, means for normally supportingsaid weight, and mechanism for releasing said weight and the ignitingmechanism.

Signed at Paris, in the Republic of France, this 4th day of October,1898.

CHARLES KLARY.

Witnesses:

GEORGES LAURENT, EUGENE WATTIER.

